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Interesting Projects
HDR | iTRANS Wins NY States Traffic Safety Assessment Project
HDR | iTRANS, in partnership with Bergmann, was recently awarded a traffic safety project by Ontario County of New York State to conduct four safety assessments of problem intersections in their County. HDR | iTRANS will serve as Safety Assessment Team Leader, guiding Bergmann and County staff in conducting these assessments.
Our international reputation as Road Safety Auditor leader continues to grow, as this assignment builds on previous work in developing a Guideline for conducting Safety Assessments for a broad range of transportation facilities (e.g., roads, pedestrian and bikeways, transit facilities, schools, and private developments with public access / uses) for the New York Metropolitan Planning Associations.
Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo Transit Downtown Bus Terminal
iTRANS Consulting was recently awarded its first very first design-bid-build project for a downtown bus terminal facility in Fort McMurray. iTRANS will help determine a facility location most ideal for transit customers, businesses and residents, ensuring the location and design are sustainable to future growth, as well as compatible with the Transportation Master Plan Phases 1 and 2, which are both iTRANS projects. The new facility is expected to be built in 2010, with the anticipation of making transit a more viable alternative mode of transportation for residents of Fort McMurray.
Stemming from the strength of transportation engineering and transit planning expertise we have built in Canada, iTRANS has joined forces with HDR to provide architectural services where required.
Smart Work Zones – York Region
The Regional Municipality of York has retained iTRANS Consulting to identify, implement, and perform ‘before-after’ studies on various ITS technologies at work zones. The objectives of this study are to enhance worker and road user safety, reduce delays, reduce congestion, and provide real-time information to travellers. The study will take place over the 2009 summer at selected construction sites throughout the Region.
State of Aggregate Resource in Ontario - Ministry of Natural Resources
The demand for aggregates continues to grow as Ontario develops. To date, aggregate sources have tended to be located close to urban centres. However, the available sources are beginning to run out, and – together with growing environmental and other concerns – the Province is examining the feasibility of sourcing aggregates from more remote locations in northern Ontario. iTRANS, in association with HDR, is part of a team that is assessing this feasibility. iTRANS’ role is to develop a GIS analytical framework that is being used to assess the impacts of costs, travel times and emissions of moving aggregates from northern Ontario to the south-central urban areas, via road (truck), rail, marine, or combinations of these three modes. iTRANS is building on the GIS framework it developed for the Ontario Ministry of Transportation to do a similar assessment across the Province’s entire highway network.
Traffic Control Systems for GTA & Hamilton – Metrolinx
iTRANS has been retained by Metrolinx to establish a common time reference for traffic control systems throughout the Greater Toronto Area and Hamilton. This common time reference will result in a quick win for Metrolinx and will provide a fundamental platform for future inter-agency initiatives. In addition to identifying, procuring and deploying common time reference sources for each municipality, iTRANS will also inventory operational policies, technologies and opportunities for cross border initiatives between municipalities and road agencies. This inventory will be presented to Metrolinx in the form of a plan with proposed priorities, timeframes and high-level work plans. Lastly, iTRANS will establish a forum for municipalities, the Province and Metrolinx to continue to communicate with each other.
Transit Ridership Growth Plan & Asset Management Plan – Wins CUTA Award
iTRANS Consulting completed the Transit Ridership Growth Plan and Transit Asset Management Plan for the Town of Cobourg’s Transit Conventional Service and the Wheels Specialized Transit Service. The Plan recommended a 5-year Conventional Transit Service Plan, complemented by a similar service plan that was designed to better accommodate the demand for door-to-door accessible Wheels service. The iTRANS plan specifically recommended that Wheels should maintain current accessible weekday service, while wheelchair accessible taxis would provide service during mid-day and extended into evenings and Saturdays.
As a result of the initiative, in 2009 (Year 3 of the 5-year plan), the Town’s Councillor, Dean McCaughey, announced that Cobourg Transit was awarded the 2009 Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA) National Transit Corporate Recognition Award. The award recognizes the Town’s exemplary performance and outstanding achievement for its special needs transit program.
Transit Business Case Template
For the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (British Columbia) (MTI), iTRANS Consulting led the development of a comprehensive business case structure for the evaluation of transit projects that fall within the Provincial Transit Plan (PTP).
The Transit Business Case Template provided a consistent approach to evaluate transit investment projects that were proposed under the PTP, and was consistent with the Federal government’s business case template. This tool built on MTI’s existing business case structure for highway capital projects, by adding enhancements that account for the specific evaluation needs of transit investments. For consistency, MTI adapted TransDec, the Federal government’s transit business case template; and the developers of TransDec, HDR, worked with iTRANS on this project. The work also included training and on-going support for MTI staff over a three year period.
Grande Prairie Transit Plan
Open House February 13, 2009
iTRANS presented the City of Grande Prairie Transit Master Plan to the public, which included a complete route restructuring that would result in shorter wait times at bus stops, quicker travel times, and provide for expansion into new subdivisions. A community bus was introduced to provide residents with access to several key destinations throughout the city without having to travel through the downtown area. Other recommendations included the use of smart cards to replace tickets and passes, a fleet modernization and expansion plan, and the need for a new downtown bus terminal.
Grande Prairie Daily Herald Tribune - Transit Plan Getting Closer - Open House.pdf
Trans-Canada Highway / Old Spallumcheen Road – District of Sicamous, BC
iTRANS Consulting was retained by the District of Sicamous to conduct a conceptual planning evaluation of various improvement options for the intersection of Old Spallumcheen Road (OSR) and the Trans-Canada Highway (TCH). The study was administered by the District through the technical guidance of the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, and included input from the Columbia Shuswap Regional District and Hyde Mountain Developments.
Historically, the intersection of TCH / OSR has consistently had a higher accident rate than the provincial average. As the intersection geometry is constrained by a steep rock face to the south and a steep down-slope / railway to the north, addressing the safety concerns was quite difficult. Numerous studies had been completed in the past, examining more than a dozen potential improvements for this intersection. iTRANS was able to amalgamate those improvement options into a comprehensive review.
iTRANS provided recommendations for the short- and long-term. A course of action was suggested for the preferred long-term option and the next steps required, as well as the interim safety improvement items for the intersection.
Traffic Safety Database Feasibility Study – State of Colorado
iTRANS Consulting, in partnership with the Dye Management Group (Prime), has been engaged by the State of Colorado to conduct a feasibility study for the development of a Traffic (Safety) Records Virtual Data Warehouse.
iTRANS’ role is to provide subject matter expertise in the area of traffic safety records and facilitate the collaboration between multiple stakeholders in support of traffic records and other safety management and analysis initiatives.
This is a new dimension to our Transportation Safety practice, whereby we have teamed with an information technology company. With the advent of the new Highway Safety Manual, and the SafetyAnalyst tool we are now positioned to help State DOTs and large US Municipalities to build their safety databases.
Dye Management Group and iTRANS have also recently won a similar contract for the State of Montana. Including Utah, this now makes three states that iTRANS is directly involved with the State’s traffic records systems.
Dye Management Group http://www.dyemanagement.com/
Pavement Rehabilitation – Ministry of Transportation (Ontario)
The Ministry of Transportation (Ontario) recently awarded iTRANS the detail design assignment for the following Pavement Rehabilitation projects:
- Hwy 403 – Wilson Road westerly to the Hamilton/Brant boundary (Hamilton) – 10km
- QEW – Netherby Road westerly to Lyons Creek (Niagara Falls) – 8.5km
- Highway 10 – King Street northerly to 0.7km south of Forks of the Credit Road (Caledon) - 8.4km
These “shave and pave” projects are on an extremely aggressive schedule and will use the Ministry’s “Limited Plans Format”. We are looking forward to this opportunity to demonstrate iTRANS’ proficiency in high profile traffic management and design/contract tender preparation on a fast-tracked schedule.
District of West Vancouver Strategic Transportation Plan
The District of West Vancouver recently commissioned iTRANS to develop a Strategic Transportation Plan (STP) to guide the District in emphasizing the use of alternative modes and active transportation to facilitate a modal shift away from the private automobile. This is underpinned by the air quality objectives within the plan to fulfil transportation commitments set forth in the 2004 District of West Vancouver Official Community Plan and in accordance with recommended tasks outlined in the Environmental Strategy work plan completed in 2007.
The main objectives of the project are to develop a strategic plan that:
- Supports sustainability principles
- Reflects the priorities and objectives of the whole community
- Expands mode options and reduce private automobile dependency
- Provides targets and a tangible means of measuring progress
- Is practical, realistic and fully implementable by 2025
The involvement of the community and stakeholders throughout the plan development process is crucial to a successful STP. Representatives from the community at large will be gathered to form a high level STP Working Group to ensure that the voice of the public is heard and that all interests are considered in the development of the plan. The plan will address mobility for pedestrians, cyclists and transit users as a main part of the multi-modal options.
Yonge Street Traffic Management Study
iTRANS was retained by the City of Toronto to conduct the Yonge Street Area Traffic Management Study within the developing are of the North York south Downtown. The intent of this study was to identify a comprehensive strategy to plan traffic control and new infrastructure, and coordinate it with anticipated development-related traffic impacts. The study was aimed at addressing the needs and community concerns over the traffic operations and safety in the area.
Integration of Pedestrians and Bicycles at Interchanges in the GGHA and Niagara Regions
iTRANS Consulting was awarded a study by the Ministry of Transportation (Ontario) for the Integration of Pedestrians and Bicycles at Freeway Interchanges. Municipalities across Ontario are incorporating “active transportation” into balanced and integrated transportation strategies. The promotion of cycling and walking as alternative travel modes and healthy activities has been initiated through municipal policies, as well as proactive bicycle and pedestrian master plans. iTRANS will be leading research into best practices for safe and efficient pedestrian and cycling crossings at interchanges. The study will develop design standards, traffic control measures, and innovative design approaches for a range of interchange environments.
School Zone Traffic Safety Study in Alberta
The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo retained iTRANS to conduct an in-depth traffic safety assessment of their school network, which includes 26 existing school sites and five planned school sites. Also included in this assignment is the development of a framework for a Pedestrian Code of Conduct and a Pedestrian Charter.
iTRANS Delivers The Science of Crash Reduction Factors for NHI (FHWA)
iTRANS Consulting has developed The Science of Crash Reduction Factors course for the National Highway Institute, the training arm of the Federal Highway Administration. This three hour web-based course goes in-depth and provides participants with the knowledge and skills needed to critically assess the quality of Crash Reduction Factors (CRFs). This course is intended for the safety practitioner who wants to know more than how to simply apply a CRF value, but wants to determine whether the CRF value itself is reliable, and to understand how it was derived. For this course, iTRANS also developed a checklist for participants to use in evaluating the quality of a published CRF. The professionals who would be most interested in completing this course are those who are responsible for identifying, recommending, selecting, and installing appropriate countermeasures to help reduce the number of crashes. iTRANS delivered the pilot session in November 2008.
https://admin.na3.acrobat.com/_a55098539/n380094clip/
iTRANS’ Role in Port Mann Bridge PPP Lauded
In February 2009, the Premier of British Columbia announced a major project to replace the aging Port Mann Bridge and the upgrade of 37km of Highway 1, a key expressway in the Greater Vancouver region. This Public-Private Partnership (PPP) project will be carried out by the Connect BC consortium, for which iTRANS is pleased to have developed the investment-grade traffic and revenue forecasts, as well as providing traffic engineering, micro-simulation modelling, and value engineering services.
Highway 1 is the principal commuter corridor linking Greater Vancouver with its Fraser Valley suburbs. Highway 1 also provides trade access to the region’s ports and the rest of Canada. In the face of pervasive congestion, and in order to accommodate fast-growing auto and truck traffic demand, the Province of British Columbia proposed a PPP in 2007 to upgrade this 40-year-old expressway and twin the existing Port Mann Bridge across the Fraser River – a key bottleneck on Highway 1. The new bridge will have 10 lanes accommodating rapid-buses, pedestrians, and cyclists, and is expected to reduce travel time and congestion by one third. To pay for this, the Province proposed a new toll at the Bridge. This $3.3 billion dollar project is the largest new PPP toll highway project in North America today. The replacement of the Port Mann Bridge is to be completed by 2013.
iTRANS prepared an investment grade traffic and revenue forecast for Connect BC, to support the consortium’s bid to upgrade the highway and the Bridge. This entailed the recalibration and update of the existing regional travel demand forecasting model to international investment-grade standards, the collection of extensive new data to support this modelling work, the preparation of defensible traffic and revenue forecasts under a variety of schemes, and the presentation of the forecasts to bankers and bond raters from around the world. iTRANS’ approach emphasized the development of realistic, credible, and transparent traffic forecasts and models as the basis for the work. iTRANS also provided traffic engineering, micro-simulation modelling, and value engineering services to the consortium’s design team.
This team was announced as the winning bid in July 2008. iTRANS’ work was lauded by the client, the financial community, and the owner for its thoroughness, comprehensiveness, and credibility. iTRANS continues to provide ongoing services to the team.
iTRANS Wins major Road Safety Audit Work in Quebec
iTRANS Consulting, in partnership with SM International Group of Montreal, has been awarded the Road Safety Audit work for the new A30 Autoroute in Quebec. iTRANS will conduct over 70 road safety audits for this new toll road facility covering preliminary design, detailed design, and pre-opening audits.
Winning this exciting new work fits well with iTRANS’ strategy to increase its involvement in P3 projects, and allows iTRANS to continue to demonstrate its broad and integrated road safety, operations, and design knowledge and expertise.
The A30 Autoroute project is being delivered through the P3 consortium, Nouvelle Autoroute 30, S.E.N.C., which is made up of the following companies: Acciona Concessions Canada Inc., Iridium Concessions Canada Inc., Acciona Infrastructures Canada Inc., Dragados Canada Inc., S.I.C.E., Arup Canada Inc., Construction DJL Inc., and Verreault Inc.
Brampton TTMP
iTRANS Consulting has been retained by the City of Brampton to carry out the Brampton Transit and Transportation Master Plan (TTMP) Study Update. The City approved its TTMP in the fall of 2004, which envisioned the integration of all modes and elements of transportation to provide a "Balanced Transportation System". Building on the transportation vision and strategy that was developed in the 2004 TTMP, this study will update and prepare recommendations in keeping with the sustainable transportation principles and develop an integrated transportation network required to support Brampton's growth up to 2031, as well as accommodate provincial and regional planning goals. The TTMP Sustainable Update will form a part of the overall Growth Plan conformity exercise and provide the basis for revisions / input to the transportation components of the Brampton Official Plan in the context of recent provincial policies.
The first PIC for this project will be held on Tuesday, September 23 at the City Hall Atrium (see attached PDF).
First Public Information Centre held for the Brampton TTMP Study Update
The first Public Information Centre (PIC) for this project, co-hosted by the City staff and the iTRANS team, was recently heldduring the evening of Tuesday, September 23, 2008 in the Brampton City Hall Atrium. The high quality graphics and easy to interpret information display boards were well received and helped to encourage input from the public and other stakeholders throughout the evening. The PIC provided an opportunity to introduce and receive feedback regarding the study's purpose, the problem and issues that need to be addressed, as well as strategic alternatives that could be implemented to address the issues. Public consultation is a key element of the study and will continue through the duration of the project.
More information on this PIC is available at http://www.brampton.ca/GrowthPlanResponse/
The second PIC for the subject study is scheduled for February 04, 2008 at Brampton City Hall Atrium between 5.30 PM and 8.30 PM (see attached PDF).
Midland Transit Service Plan
iTRANS was retained by the Town of Midland to undertake a Transit Service Plan designed to expand and improve upon the service that was in place. One major issue was being able to provide service to Georgian College, which was faced with expanding enrolment. iTRANS conducted an operational review complemented by a community-wide survey and stakeholder consultation that resulted in:
- the development of a new route structure that improved transit coverage in Midland
- a service that enhanced accessibility for the physically challenged
- a route that enabled service to be extended into Georgian College without having to add a new route
A Midland Transit 5-year service plan and fleet plan was subsequently developed.
Local News on the Transit Service Plan: http://www.midlandmirror.com/midlandmirror/article/126742
iTRANS Awarded MTO VE Retainers
The Ministry of Transportation (Ontario) (MTO) has awarded 2-year retainers for future Value Engineering studies for three separate categories. iTRANS Consulting Inc. was awarded retainers in two categories: Traffic Operations and Safety Studies, and Preliminary Design. iTRANS has been on retainer to MTO for four previous years in providing VE services on Traffic Operations and Safety Studies, and we look forward to providing continued services on retainer for the next two years for these types of studies, as well as providing additional VE services for Preliminary Design Studies. For additional information on the retainer, or how iTRANS’ Value Engineering services can assist your organization in the cost-effective delivery of capital projects and/or business processes, contact us at professionalservices@itransconsulting.com .
Functional Planning Study in Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan Highways and Infrastructure retained iTRANS Consulting for the planning study prior to future construction of the interchanges on Highway 5 at McOrmond Drive, Highway 41, and Perimeter Highway. McOrmond Drive and Highway 41 are classified as service interchanges, while Perimeter Highway interchange will be constructed as a system interchange. The objective of this study was to develop, evaluate, and select the most desirable configuration alternative for each of the future three interchanges based on functionality, capacity, constructability, cost, right-of-way requirements, and environmental impact.
Value Engineering / Management Training - Toronto, January 26 - 30, 2009
Value Engineering (VE) is a systematic, organized system of investigation, using trained, multi-disciplined teams to analyze the functional requirements of a project for the purpose of achieving the essential functions at the lowest total cost (capital, operating and maintenance) over the life of the project. By using creative techniques and current technical information on new materials and methods, alternative solutions are developed for specific functions, eliminating or modifying components and their costs that are not essential to required performance.
iTRANS Consulting, in partnership with Faithful+Gould, is pleased to provide highly specialized Value Engineering expertise in offerin a 5-day SAVE International approved Module 1 Value Engineering / Management training course.
This course offers detailed instruction in the VE/VM methodology, an organized system of investigation using trained, multi-disciplined teams to analyze functional requirements of a project, product, system, or procedure to achieve essential functions at the lowest total cost over the life cycle. Participants will have the opportunity to gain a clear understanding and working knowledge of the VE/VM methodology, including special topics such as Risk Registers, Premise Plateaus, and Performance Criteria and Measures.
Participants will be well prepared for the optional Associate Value Specialist (AVS) exam, which will be offered at the end of the training workshop.
This session will be of interest to all private and public sector engineers, supervisors, and managers.
Brochure - Module 1 (PDF 5 Mb)
Kingston Road Transit Improvements Environmental Assessment - City of Toronto and Toronto Transit Commission
The City of Toronto retained iTRANS to identify potential transit improvements along the Kingston Road Corridor. The study is investigating how to best improve transit service along Kingston Road, between Victoria Park and Eglinton Avenue East, as well as integrating existing streetcar service along Kingston Road with other transit services in the area. This project began as an individual environmental assessment, then became a Schedule "C" Class Environmental Assessment for transit improvements, and is now following the new Transit Project Assessment Study Process (O.Reg. 231/08). The study includes the review and assessment of various transit routes including: alternative terminal points with the Bloor-Danforth Subway, existing streetcar and bus service, and future planned light rail transit (Scarborough-Malvern LRT). Various transit technologies are also being assessed, including: bus in mixed traffic, bus in reserved lanes, streetcar in mixed traffic, streetcar in dedicated right-of-way, and light rail transit. The project is on-going, and more information can be found at: http://www.toronto.ca/involved/projects/kingston_road_ea/index.htm
iTRANS Services in Arizona - Maricopa County
In 2008, iTRANS, in partnership with a US consultant, won a contract with the Maricopa Association of Governments in Arizona to provide on-call Safety, Traffic Engineering, and ITS Planning and Operational services. Maricopa County is the 14th largest county in the US.
Richmond Hill Regional Centre
The Town of Richmond Hill selected the team of Urban Strategies and iTRANS to establish a long-term vision and strategic direction for the development of the Richmond Hill Regional Centre as a "mobility hub", in accordance with the policies and objectives of the Provincial Growth Plan and the Official Plans of the York Region and the Town of Richmond Hill. The Town's Regional Centre area is intended to serve as a major office, residential and institutional centre, as well as a pedestrian-oriented transit hub serving as the junction for the Yonge Subway extension, YRT and VIVA bus service, GO Transit, and the proposed 407 Transitway, in addition to servicing connections to Hwy 407, Yonge Street, and Highway 7.
Provincial Highway System Traffic Forecasts - MTO Study
The Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO) recently engaged iTRANS to develop a software tool for the forecasting of provincial highway traffic volumes at a strategic level for the entire Province of Ontario. This tool will be used to support long range transportation planning, investment analysis, and policy analysis on any and all Provincial highways throughout Ontario.
Brampton Transit AcceleRide & York Region Transit VIVA BRT Service Integration
iTRANS was recently awarded a retainer contract by the City of Brampton to assist Brampton Transit with the preparation and implementation of the first phase of AcceleRide Bus Rapid Transit service in 2010 The goal is to ensure seamless BRT transit service is provided for customers, regardless of where they live.
Transit Signal Priority - Brampton
The City of Brampton, Brampton Transit, Region of Peel, and Brampton Fire Department are undertaking a multi-year project to provide transit signal priority and emergency vehicle pre-emption at signalized intersections within the City of Brampton for the implementation of the first phase of Brampton’s Zum bus rapid transit network. iTRANS has been selected to provide design and implementation services for this project.
This project will provide transit signal priority (TSP) using a combination of advanced equipment technologies, wireless communications to relay information from transit / emergency vehicles to the roadside, GPS technology for vehicle tracking, interface with the transit’s on-vehicle Automatic Vehicle Location System, and interface to a central server / database for monitoring, control and reporting. This server, located at Brampton’s Traffic Operations Centre (TOC), will also provide connections to the Region of Peel Traffic operations Group, Brampton Transit, and Brampton Fire Department for reporting and operations management.
Trucking Safety Stakeholder Consultation - Caledon
iTRANS Consulting was selected by the Town of Caledon to facilitate two stakeholder meetings. The first meeting included commercial vehicle operators, Caledon Town staff, council members, the Mayor, and representatives from the Ministry of Transportation, and enforcement; to set goals and discuss strategies for improving truck safety. In preparation for this meeting, iTRANS conducted a review of collision data and the roadway network, along with preparing material related to the trucking safety strategies that have been conducted in other jurisdictions. To support the consultation held on May 6, 2008, iTRANS also conducted a safety survey of commercial vehicle stakeholders.
iTRANS helped facilitate a public consultation meeting on trucking safety in the Town of Caledon on October 15, 2008, along with representatives from the Ministry of Transportation, the Region of Peel, and the Ontario Provincial Police. A public survey was also conducted as part of the process to identify strategies and countermeasures to address the increasing number and severity of truck related collisions.
Descriptions of the public meeting may be found at:
http://www.caledonenterprise.com/editorial/article/58697
http://www.caledonenterprise.com/news/article/58717
Rossland Road Environmental Assessment Public Open House - Town of Ajax
On Tuesday, October 21, 2008, the Town of Ajax, with the assistance of iTRANS, held a second Public Open House for the Rossland Road Improvements, from Brock Road to Westney Road, Environmental Assessment Study at the McLean Community Centre. The purpose of the Open House was to review the results of the analysis to date, and to present the design decisions and design alternatives, the evaluation of the design decisions and design alternatives, and the technically preferred design for public review and comment.
More information can also be found on the Town's project website at: http://www.townofajax.com/Page1870.aspx .
Development Charges Study for the City of Burlington
The City of Burlington has retained iTRANS to carry out the update of its Development Charges. The purpose of this transportation study is to identify the cost and timing of transportation improvements required to support the City's growth from 2009 to 2021. Development Charges funds are fundamental to facilitate new growth in the City.
iTRANS Joins Utah DOT Roster of Qualified Consultants
The State of Utah has selected iTRANS to be part of the Utah Department of Transportation's pool of qualified consultants in four areas:
- Planning
- ITS - Installation & Testing of Field Equipment
- Value Engineering
- Research Studies/ New Development
Sandalwood Parkway EA - Brampton
The City of Brampton has awarded iTRANS the Environmental Assessment and Preliminary Design study for improvements to Sandalwood Parkway, from Airport Road to Dixie Road. We look forward to working with the City on this project.
Bradford Parking Strategy
iTRANS Consulting was retained by the Town of Bradford / West Gwillimbury to undertake a Downtown Parking Strategy. This growing community has over 22,000 residents and a parking strategy will provide a sustainable direction for the future of its downtown area. This study will review various aspects of parking operations, make recommendations regarding current operations, and will identify an approach to cope with current and future parking demands.
Best Practices for Technical Delivery of Transportation Planning Studies, Canada
The Transportation Association of Canada (TAC) retained iTRANS to prepare the 'Best Practices for Technical Delivery of Long-Term Transportation Planning Studies in Canada.' This 278-page research report looks at international best practices for travel demand modelling, surveys and data collection for small- and medium-sized communities; whether these are stand-alone communities or places that are part of a larger urban region. The report includes a guidebook for everyday use. It is applicable to transportation master plans, environmental assessments and functional plans, corridor planning, transportation demand management, transit planning, sustainable transportation, freight planning and the range of transportation plans that are typical of Canada's 400+ small- and medium-sized communities.
TAC published the report in October 2008. The English version can be downloaded from TAC: http://www.tac-atc.ca/english/pdf/best-practice.pdf. A French version will be available shortly.
Transit Feasibility Study Recommendations (PEI)
iTRANS Consulting conducted a feasibility study for public transportation services for the Towns of Stratford and Cornwall, on Prince Edward Island, each of which are within commuting distance to the City of Charlottetown. While the City of Charlottetown is served by public transit, there is no public transportation service to or within the cities of Cornwall or Stratford. As part of this study iTRANS:
- Quantified the current latent demand for transit service
- Identified ridership growth strategies to target various markets
- Identified appropriate vehicles and service levels required to meet the demand
- Determined route and service design (hours of operation, route travelways, etc.)
- Identified low-cost methods of service delivery
- Quantified the impact of service in reducing green house gases and emissions
- Developed a Five Year Service Plan that is fiscally responsible
As per the study's recommendation, exactly one year after the completion of the study, in September 2008, the Town of Stratford launched transit service. Prince Edward Island Communities Minister, Carolyn Bertram, stated that this "is an exciting time for the Town of Stratford". She continued to explain that "there are many benefits to public transit, including economic, social and, of course, environmental benefits. By encouraging commuters to take transit, this new system will help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality, and ultimately create a greener, healthier community for us all to enjoy".
Photo courtesy of The Guardian
Carolyn Bertram, Minister of Communities, Cultural Affairs and Labour, is joined by MLAs Alan McIsaac and Cynthia Dunsford
Yellowknife Transportation Improvement Study
iTRANS Consulting has been awarded a major Transportation Improvement Study by the City of Yellowknife to provide professional engineering services to the City as part of its Smart Growth Development Plan. The services to be provided by iTRANS under this 15-month study include:
- Data collection (manual traffic counts, ATR, parking inventory, and utilization survey)
- Construction of a travel demand forecasting model in Quick Response System including a telephone origin-demand survey
- Public outreach and the conduct of a design charette
- Traffic signal and sign review
- Truck route analysis
- Parking evaluation
- Transportation improvement plan
- Construction cost estimate
Eastern Municipal District of Rocky View Network Planning
An Innovative Development Framework for the Long Term Roadway Network Planning at Springbank and Area 8 in the Municipal District of Rocky View
Rapid growth in Alberta's economy has resulted in the need to develop an innovative approach aimed at addressing interface issues in planning of roadway network connecting urban and rural communities. In the development of solutions for the long term traffic issues, the Municipal District of Rocky View has charted a new course of action to provide a framework for a sustainable and intensified rural development.
The new concepts are realized through development of a long term transportation network addressing all modes of transportation and using a flexible cross-section system. The created network addresses the local and regional issues reflecting a context sensitive design, using state-of-the-art techniques in planning. The plan forms also a skeleton supporting the intensified development concept.
Durham Region Long Term Transit Strategy Study
iTRANS Consulting has been awarded the Durham Region Long Term Transit Strategy Study by the Region of Durham. As Durham grows to one million people by 2031, Durham Region requires a Long-Term Transit Strategy that will: set the transportation vision for the future of Durham; embrace compact communities; promote sustainable development; protect the natural environment; promote economic vitality and healthy communities; and provide safe, affordable, and efficient transportation for people and goods. iTRANS is pleased to be working with the Region of Durham on this exciting study.
Hamilton Safety Management Program
iTRANS Consulting was awarded a contract by the City of Hamilton in August to develop a Strategic Road Safety Program. This three year assignment combines all safety functional areas and links to the City's asset management investment planning. The services that iTRANS will provide for this project include:
- Bringing City engineering, enforcement, educational, and health services together to form a safety partnership
- Setting safety short- and long-term safety goals and objectives
- Public outreach in support of goals and objectives, and ongoing feedback mechanisms
- Developing a comprehensive road safety strategic plan, including an organizational safety management process
- Network screening and prioritization of key emphasis areas and emphasis area objectives
- Countermeasure selection, costing, effectiveness assessments, and measures of success
- Long-term safety action plan details, urgency and priorities, including City team leads from the different safety partners
- Safety project funding and cost sharing
- Short-, medium-, and long-term investment plans with links to asset management (e.g. engineering, maintenance, rehabilitation, and reconstruction)
- Auditing safety investment outcomes and safety culture adoption over two years
These services compliment and build on the work iTRANS has been doing for other Canadian jurisdictions, and on work we have done in the USA on the Strategic Highway Safety Planning initiative.
"We are very excited about this project and believe the City of Hamilton has set the benchmark for future comprehensive safety management practices. This assignment takes the many safety functional areas and links them into a single and sound business value chain of events design to produce long-term safety investment to achieve their goals. The new process will also integrate safety into asset management." Tyrone Gan, President
"We have a very strong and diverse safety team at iTRANS and this assignment paves the way for our new safety focus of moving from defining and researching traffic safety, to building new sustainable safety business cultures, multi-agency teams, and enabling jurisdictions to implement their safety projects to achieve their long-term goals." Michael Trickey, Vice President
iTRANS & City of Surrey
Over the past year, our Vancouver regional office has had success in developing and strengthening a working relationship with the City of Surrey. Surrey is one of the fastest growing municipalities in BC and is set to catch up with the City of Vancouver population by 2031. iTRANS was originally awarded the 72nd Avenue Corridor Signal Optimization Study helping to develop a relationship with the City by providing strong technical work and maintaining excellent lines of communication. Surrey purchased a copy of iTREC® and which has greatly assisted the work and confidence in the study results. As a result of this budding relationship with the City, iTRANS was recently awarded the 64th Avenue Corridor Signal Optimization Study. The City has also invited iTRANS to partner with them in providing Traffic and Safety Operations Services on an on-going contract basis. iTRANS hopes to continue to be the City's transportation Consultant of Choice. This is a perfect indication of the high caliber of service iTRANS provides its clients, and helps to raise our profile in western Canada.
British Pacific Propertiess
Since its inception, the Vancouver regional office has been working closely with a large private real estate developer, British Pacific Properties Ltd (BPP). Owned by the Guinness family from UK, BPP has played a key role since 1931 in the development of West Vancouver and shaping the mountainside community. West Vancouver is a municipality on the North Shore, with a population approximately 40,000 and one of the wealthiest municipalities in Canada. BPP's most recent project is the planned Rodgers Creek Area, involving iTRANS as an essential contributor to the multi-disciplinary team, moving towards a successful application approval by Council. To date, iTRANS has undertaken the traffic impact study, on-site operational review for Mulgrave School, attended public meetings, presented before Council, and worked with a community technical steering group in the interest of the community. iTRANS' has built a strong foundation for future partnership opportunities with BPP through our strong technical team, innovative problem solving and open communication. We look forward to many more opportunites
GO-by-Bike
iTRANS Consulting is pleased to sponsor the GO-by-Bike project. GO-by-Bike is a green tourism and transportation pilot project encouraging cyclists to take their bikes on the GO Transit to access the network of cycling trails across the GTA. On Sunday, June 1, and every Sunday this summer, cyclists can arrive - with their bikes - at the Ajax GO Station for a great "green day" with plenty of exercise. The paths go from Ajax to Scarborough's Rouge Hill station, where cyclists can hop the GO back to the city to avoid busy roads - their only option when waterfront paths cut off for a long stretch of suburb.
To date, there has been excellent media coverage of GO-by-Bike, including GO News newsletters on trains and in stations (pg 6 & 7 http://www.gotransit.com/public/en/publications/GONews_spring_08_web.pdf) and the Globe & Mail Toronto edition (May 17) in print and national news online: Cyclists get in gear and First, ride the rails. At the project launch on May 28, a Media Conference brought travelers from Union Station to Ajax and back for the Media and Partners Lunch, including the Minister of Health Promotions (Scarborough), Margaret Best and Minister of the Environment, John Gerretsen.
You can read more about the project, learn about participation, sponsorships and other media coverage on the GO-by-Bike website: www.GO-by-Bike.ca
iTRANS Study results in National CUTA Award
The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, was recently awarded with the 2008 National CUTA Award for Exceptional Performance/ Outstanding Achievement for their Transit Master Plan. iTRANS was retained by the RM of Wood Buffalo for recommendations which were widely accepted and implemented in their Transit Master Plan. The study was completed in 2007, both on time and within budget. These effort resulted in iTRANS winning a first ever 3-year transit retainer to assist Wood Buffalo in implementing the additional recommendations of the Transit Master Plan, including the functional design and location study for a downtown bus terminal. iTRANS wishes to congratulate to all parties involved in this achievement.
| REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY OF WOOD BUFFALO - WOOD BUFFALO TRANSIT - SERVICES RESTRUCTURING AND IMPROVEMENTS | ||
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The urban transit system within the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo faced unique challenges. The Oil Sands boom created a backlog of infrastructure needs, the gridlock was prevalent, the fleet was aged and the buses were behind schedule. As the public of Wood Buffalo was not happy, there was a need to create a transit culture overnight and completely revamp theservice during the coldest months of the year. Wood Buffalo Transit was faced with a 'no choice' situation to implement the change before any formal approval. A Transit User Group was established and the system was compelled to focus on service over fare |
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| revenues. The gamble paid off. The Council listened and took action. A more simplified and direct service with fewer routes and newer fleet was implemented. A performance-based contractor agreement was drawn up and customer service became a priority. Ridership decline reversed virtually overnight. | ||
| Details can be viewed at: http://www.cutaactu.ca/sites/cutaactu.ca/files/Corporate%20Award%20Eng%20Final_0.pdf | ||
Vaughan OPA 620 Proposed East-West Collector Road Class EA
The City of Vaughan retained iTRANS Consulting for a Class Environmental Assessment Study to assess the implementation of the Official Plan Amendment (OPA) 620 Proposed East-West Collector Road. The proposed road will provide an east-west connection between Jane Street and Keele Street, north of Steeles Avenue and south of the CN Rail York Subdivision in the City of Vaughan. The study area is presented on the key map below.
This study is being carried out under the guidelines for a Schedule 'C' project under the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (October 2000, as amended in 2007).
The first public information centre (PIC) was held on June 17, the purpose of which was to introduce the study, to present the consultation process, the need and justification for the project, including existing conditions, alternative planning solutions, next steps, and to gain public input. A second PIC will be scheduled to present the findings and receive additional public input. Upon completion of the study, an Environmental Study Report will be available for public review and comment for a minimum 30-day public review period.
Red Deer Transit Feasibility Study
A recent article in the Red Deer Express outlined details of a meeting with iTRANS and Red Deer County Council on June 10, 2008. iTRANS presented our Transit Feasibility Study, which was very well received by Council, and made a point of complimenting iTRANS' efforts in putting together a very comprehensive report and hitting all the marks necessary for them to make a decision. As a result, iTRANS has been retained to continue our work and to assist in the next steps identified in our report. Red Deer Transit was also very receptive to our report. A sample of the Red Deer Express article follows:
Transit to Gasoline Alley a step closer
06/11/08
BY ERIN FAWCETT
Red Deer Express
efawcett@reddeer.greatwest.ca
309-5457Public transit is a definite need in Red Deer County.
County council heard this statement yesterday as they listened to the final report of the Public Transportation Feasibility Study.
"The study is essentially saying there is a need for Red Deer residents to access businesses and places of employment in Gasoline Alley and there is a need for rural residents to access medical services and shopping facilities in Red Deer city and Gasoline Alley," said Wally Beck, vice presidents of iTRANS Consulting Inc., the company hired to conduct the County's Public Transportation Feasibility Study.
Beck told council that 90% of the people who work in Gasoline Alley live in the City of Red Deer.
"There is an immediate demand for public transit in Gasoline Alley," said Beck.
Work on the Public Transportation Feasibility Study got underway last year.
Beck consulted with stakeholders, developed policy framework and short listed service concepts as part of the study.
He discovered some key issues with people he talked to included quality of life, access to medical services, employment and to transit stops.
"There are two different markets out there. One market is the workers and the shoppers wanting to get to and from Gasoline Alley regardless whether they are from Red Deer city or the County," he said.
"The other market is the ones in the rural area that have to access medical services and leisure activities to address quality of life, et cetera."
Beck came up with two options for integrating transit into Red Deer County.
Option one included a transit service running on an hourly basis from Bower Mall, south to Gasoline Alley, over to Springbrook and back to Bower Mall.
Option two included an hourly service running from Bower Mall to Gasoline Alley and back.
"With both of these options we looked at integrating with Red Deer Transit," said Beck.
Two service levels were also studied.
The first service level would see transit running six days a week.
The scheduled service would run Monday to Wednesday from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., Thursday and Friday from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Saturday from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. with no service on Sundays and holidays.
The second level would see scheduled transit service run seven days a week.
Mayor Earl Kinsella suggested tabling the report in order to discuss it further with council and other County departments.
"Now that we have all the information in front of us, I would like to discuss this further," he said.
If council approves the study, the next steps would be to look for external funding to implement transit service, purchase the necessary vehicles, negotiate an agreement with the city and determine the best method for service delivery.
It is expected transit service will begin in Red Deer County sometime next year.
Cycling Master Plan and Implementation Strategy - City of Mississauga
iTRANS Consulting was retained by the City of Mississauga for their Master Plan Study and Implementation strategy, in anticipation of expanding the existing cycling network by integrating and connecting existing and proposed routes. The planning process shall include several public engagement sessions with hands-on workshops. The Plan will also include use of the Bicycle Compatibility Index to provide detailed assessments for key on-road cycling routes, as well as best practices research for construction and maintenance of cycling facilities. In addition, the Plan will provide an implementation strategy to develop a comprehensive network through several different funding sources, and opportunities through concurrent construction / development projects. You can read more about this ongoing project at:
http://mississauga.com/article/14000
Engineering Services Retainer - Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo
iTRANS Consulting was awarded a three year retainer contract to provide professional engineering services on a "call-in" basis for the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo (RMWB). The potential scope of work may include issues related to new development, traffic impact assessment, studies, technical support for engineering projects, support for operational and project management, report writing, defining scope and RFP development, on-call support to the office of the Director of Public Services, specific municipal engineering services, emergency services, construction oversight and inspection, etc.
This award brings exciting prospects to iTRANS, generating diversified and interesting work across all our areas of transportation specialization.
Round Table Workshop - Town of Richmond Hill
The Town of Richmond Hill invited iTRANS Consulting to participate in a roundtable workshop to aid in developing a new transportation vision for the community. The workshop stemmed from the People Plan project and involved 20 participants, including representatives from Town Council, staff, business representatives, and key stakeholders. People Plan Richmond Hill is a project that considers the needs of the community and will result in two important documents - an updated Strategic Plan, which focuses on the goals and aspirations of the residents of Richmond Hill and a new Official Plan, which describes land-use policies, such as new housing, businesses, schools, etc.
Further information on People Plan is available on their website:
http://www.town.richmond-hill.on.ca/subpage.asp?pageid=people_plan_richmond_hill
We are delighted to be working closely with the Town's staff and Council on this important initiative.
Rocky View Southeast Industrial Growth Corridor
The Municipal District of Rocky View retained iTRANS to provide transportation planning for their southeast industrial growth corridor, specifically the identification of a future transportation network that will facilitate the growth of this corridor. The study area of approximately 12,000 acres is bound by the City of Calgary to the west, Highway 791 to the east, the Town of Chestermere and Township Road 241 to the north, and Township Road 233 to the south. The work program includes confirmation of expected land uses and densities, roadway classifications, functional alignment designs, conceptual intersectional layouts, access management, typical cross-sections, and connectivity to existing and future high load corridors and truck routes
Framework for High Quality Data Collection of Urban Goods Movement in Canada (Phase 1)
Trade and economic prosperity depend on the efficient, well-planned movement of goods. However, authorities across Canada recognize that there are many gaps in the data that underpin planning efforts, despite some notable innovations. These data range from commodity flows, to cargo origin-destination characteristics and vehicle counts. The issue impacts urban goods movement - mainly trucks, but also couriers and commercial activities - as well as inter-urban modes (air, rail, marine, and pipeline), whose urban terminals generate local trips. To this end, the Transportation Association of Canada (TAC) engaged iTRANS to identify the requirements for urban goods movement data, and to develop a framework for analyzing these needs.
In Phase 1 of the study, iTRANS reviewed international 'best practices', assessed existing data sources, identified new data requirements, and developed comprehensive user questionnaires and sampling methods for application throughout Canadian urban areas of different sizes. The resultant Phase 1 study report provides a compendium of data sources and 'best practices' that practitioners can use today, and is available at the TAC website (www.tac-atc.ca). Phase 2, which is to be conducted in 2008, administers the survey, and will complete the framework.
Six Points Interchange Study receives Council approval
The City of Toronto recently approved the recommendations of the Six Points Interchange Environmental Assessment Study by iTRANS. The study recommended the complete reconfiguration of a grade-separated interchange originally built in the early 1960s in the midst of a growing urban centre to an urban street network to support the development of Etobicoke Centre, one of the major development nodes in the City of Toronto. Key aspects of the project included simplifying the road network to free up for other uses, providing a pedestrian-friendly network, improving cyclist connections, and supporting public transit.
FHWA Quarterly Webconference
iTRANS Consulting presented our work on the development of the Issue Briefs and Desktop Reference on the topic of Crash Reduction Factors for Countermeasures at a web conference sponsored by FHWA. With over 117 participations listening in, iTRANS provided federal, state, and local department of transportation engineers in the USA with the latest crash reduction factors from the Toolbox of Countermeasures.
Kingston Streetcar Extension
iTRANS (on behalf of the City of Toronto and TTC) are proceeding with a study to identify potential transit improvements along the Kinston Road Corridor. The study will investigate how to best improve transit service along Kingston Road, between Victoria Park and Eglinton Avenue East. It will also look at ways of integrating existing streetcar service along Kingston Road with other transit services in the area. This 16-km long project is the first project in Ontario following the new Transit Class EA process. Our first set of public open houses is underway.
Link to the project: http://www.toronto.ca/involved/projects/kingston_road_ea/index.htm
Transport Canada - Transit Research & Best Practices
Transport Canada recently awarded iTRANS a study to assess and improve upon methods for measuring transit passenger-kilometres (PKMs). This statistic is important in helping transit authorities analyze their system's effectiveness. The data can also be used to measure the impact of transit service initiatives on reductions in greenhouse gases and emissions. The key objective of the work is to:
- Assess the possibility of obtaining a reasonably accurate and repeatable estimate of total transit PKMs in Canada, and providing multiple options with varying levels of effort regarding this estimation.
- Assess the current state and quality of existing data and methods regarding both passengers and PKM datasets.
- Assess the accuracy and repeatability of each of the methods used.
- Estimate the overall costs and benefits of each of the proposed methods.
- Assess the level of interest among related organizations in the development of PKM data for public transit in Canada.
iTRANS is directing this research, which is expected to have wide application among Canadian transit properties. The study is the latest in a series of leading-edge research studies conducted by iTRANS for Transport Canada. Previous studies have analyzed ways to quantify different types of congestion and its costs, best practices in transit performance measures, and ways to quantify sustainable transportation impacts.
ESTIMATING TOLL ROAD DEMAND AND REVENUE
Transportation Research Board's National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Syntheses 364: Estimating Toll Road Demand and Revenue examines the state of the practice for forecasting demand and revenues for toll roads in the United States. The report explores the models that are used to forecast the demand for travel and the application of these models to project revenues as a function of demand estimates.
Britannia Road ESR approved by the Minister of the Environment
iTRANS has been leading this Environmental Assessment for over 5 years. The Environmental Study Report was filed in October 2005, and Part II was requested by a member of the Sierra Club due to air quality concerns in December 2005. As part of the Part II process, iTRANS conducted an extensive air quality assessment with SENES, and were also required to consult with native and aboriginal groups and agencies. Our final analysis was submitted to the Minister of the Environment in April 2007, and was approved by the Minister without conditions.
Federal Highway Administration - Complete Desktop Reference Manual & Issue Briefs
iTRANS recently completed a large effort for Federal Highway Administration which resulted in a Complete Desktop Reference manual, as well as Issue Briefs on Traffic Signals, Pedestrians, Intersections, and Roadway Departures. This project was an effort by FHWA / ITE to have a centralized source of the good, the bad, and the ugly about safety effects.
National Academies - Highway Safety Manual
iTRANS' Safety Team recently completed a ground-breaking project for the National Academies in the United States (NCHRP Project 17-27), in developing Chapters 2 through 7 of the First Edition of a Highway Safety Manual. There is a huge effort in the United States to develop the First Edition of this Manual - the first of its kind in the world. The Highway Safety Manual (HSM) is intended to be a companion to the Highway Capacity Manual, and to really quantify the safety effects of various design and operational decisions that transportation professionals make every day.
Grande Prairie Transit Master Plan & Integrated Student Transportation Plan
An iTRANS first ~ Recently awarded the Grande Prairie 2007 Transit Master Plan & Integrated Student Transportation Plan, which is a 10-year Transit service strategy that will also assess the transition of high school students traveling by yellow school buses to travel to school by public transit, where feasible. It will be one of our largest Transit consulting assignments to date. We will have two clients - the City and two School Boards. Normally, these two service providers develop plans independently or make a nominal effort to coordinate their services, which are funded in two different budgets (transit and school board transportation) but paid for by municipal taxpayers. iTRANS lent their insight and municipal experience to determine that a single taxpayer pays for both assignments, and as such, operating 'silos' should be removed. This is, therefore, a study first. The study also entrenches iTRANS more for studies in Alberta, especially the northern Alberta Oil Sands areas, and opens the door to other school board studies - a new opportunity for us.
Jane Street LRT
iTRANS Consulting is a key member of a team led by Hatch Mott MacDonald that has been retained by the Toronto Transit Commission to carry out the Jane Street Light-Rail Transit (LRT) environmental assessment study. The 14.5 km long Jane Street corridor is one of seven corridors that are part of the Toronto Transit City Plan, which is premised on developing a network of electric light-rail transit lines. This new network reaches all across Toronto, and connects with the existing and planned rapid transit routes. The plan includes a total of 120 km of new LRT service over the entire city. Building on the vision of the Transit City Plan, the Jane Street LRT study will review the feasibility of implementing LRT on Jane Street from the Bloor Subway to the future Spadina Subway extension at Steeles Avenue.